Settlement Found in FTCA Employee Litigation

The National Labor Relations Board announced that a settlement has been reached between the United Steelworkers, which represented FTCA employees, and Blackstreet Capital.

The Daily American reported that the settlement between the major investor and the defunct Somerset, Pa., manufacturer of camper trailers and its former unionized workforce has resulted in the withdrawal of charges that the company’s abrupt closure in January 2011 violated federal labor laws.

Under the agreement, FTCA Inc.’s parent company, FTCA LLC, and Blackstreet Capital will cover employees’ backpay and medical expenses incurred as a result of losing insurance coverage. The amount recovered remained confidential under terms of the private agreement.

“We can acknowledge the settlement, but we can’t disclose details,” said Jim McKay, USW spokesman in Pittsburgh. “We appreciate working side-by-side with the NLRB.”

Nancy Cleeland, director of public affairs at the National Labor Relations Board, said she could not disclose details of the settlement because it is a private agreement between the parties and not a board agreement.

“We had to make sure that it satisfied the needs of the case,” she said.

Eugene Nicklow, president of USW Local 2632, said he couldn’t release details because of the confidentiality clause.

“I can say that I am pleased that the NLRB stood behind us,” he said. “They followed through diligently for the former workers. No one is in a hole while looking for their next job or in their retirement. We all have to move forward from here.”

Don Meyer, spokesman for Blackstreet Capital, could not be reached for comment.

About 130 people worked at FTCA, formerly Fleetwood Folding Trailers, when they were notified that the company was closing. The plant manufactured pop-up camper trailers for the Coleman Company. It originated as a division of Coleman in 1966, was sold to Fleetwood Enterprises in 1989, and was finally sold again to Blackstreet Capital in 2008. The property and holdings of FTCA Inc. were liquidated at auction.